BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — After head coach Sean McDermott received a long-term extension this past offseason, the Buffalo Bills followed suit with general manager Brandon Beane.
The mastermind behind the Bills' rebuild was quick to credit everyone around him and everyone that he's brought in.
"I'm a big believer in finding people that are smarter than you... and people that are competitive," Beane said. "That's what I want and we've got great people."
The newly announced extension lines up with McDermott's extension. After the two came to Buffalo as a pair, it's symbolic for the two of them to stay a pair.
"I think it’s huge for the obvious reason of continuity.” McDermott said. “The shared experiences we’ve been able to share, not just he and I, but also Terry and Kim [Pegula]."
The Beane-McDermott era has yielded two playoff appearances in three full seasons. A third in four seasons is well on the way.
With the exception of veterans like defensive end Jerry Hughes, the entire roster has been overhauled over the past four seasons.
"It was stressful, but exciting, to build your own staff and build the team the way you see it," Beane said. "That's what's neat about this situation and I'm so glad I did it."
Beane's most recent splash, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, has paid off in spades by being near the top of the league in receptions and yards this season. When the offense struggled at times in 2019, Beane looked inward instead of at his staff.
"It's a QB league. It's the most important position in any sport hands down, and you either have one or you don't," Beane said. "That's my job to give [Allen] and McDermott and Daboll the right weapons."
At 9-3 and leading the AFC East towards the end of the season in year four, Beane and McDermott are at least on track. But the confidence in them comes from the top down; both of them recognize that.
"If [the extensions] were staggered in some other way, if it’s not in the front of your mind, it’s in the back of your mind. So I appreciate that confidence from Terry and Kim," McDermott said. They didn’t have to do any of this."
"The last thing I want to do is spend three, four years building something, and then walk out on it," Beane said. "We haven't accomplished what we want to do, but we can continue the journey."
